Three in five Britons (60%) say they believe in God, according to a new survey from the MORI Social Research Institute. The research, conducted for the BBC's 'Heaven and Earth Show', shows a small drop over the past five years (down from 64% in February 1998) in the percentage of Britons who say they believe in God.
One in five British people (18%) say they are a practising member of an organised religion, with a quarter (25%) a non-practising member. A further quarter (24%) are spiritually inclined but 'do not really belong to an organised religion', whilst 14% are agnostic and 12% are atheist.
Most people in Britain say their own life experience has the most influence on their views and outlook on life. Of those asked, three in five (62%) say their views are most influenced by their own life experience, while more than half (56%) say their parents and almost a third (30%) say their education most influence their views. As far as religious teaching are concerned, 17% say these have the most influence on their views or outlook on life.
Technical details
Results are based on 1001 interviews conducted by telephone with a representative sample of British adults, aged 16+. Interviews were conducted between 8-17 August 2003. Data have been weighted to match the known population profile. Trend data is taken from a 'Paranormal' survey conducted by MORI on behalf of The Sun newspaper between 4-5 February 1998 with a representative sample of 721 adults aged 18+ across Great Britain (Q2B, Q2C) and a BBC Heaven and Earth Survey conducted by MORI between 15-17 December 2000 with a representative sample of 999 adults aged 15+ across Great Britain (Q1B).
What We Believe In Now?
Q2a Which, if any, of the following would you say best describes you?
| |
% |
| I am a practising member of an organised religion |
18 |
| I am a non-practising member of an organised religion |
25 |
| I am spiritually inclined but don't really "belong" to an organised religion |
24 |
| I am agnostic (not sure if there's a God) |
14 |
| I am atheist (convinced there's no God) |
12 |
| None of these |
7 |
| Don't know |
1 |
Q2b Which, if any, of the things I am going to read out do you believe in?
| |
February 1998 |
August 2003 |
| |
Yes |
No |
Don't Know |
Yes |
No |
Don't Know |
| |
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
| God |
64 |
26 |
10 |
60 |
29 |
11 |
| Life after death |
45 |
42 |
13 |
47 |
43 |
10 |
| A soul |
67 |
24 |
9 |
68 |
27 |
6 |
| Heaven |
54 |
37 |
9 |
52 |
40 |
8 |
| Astrology |
38 |
53 |
9 |
31 |
66 |
4 |
| Ghosts |
40 |
52 |
8 |
38 |
56 |
6 |
| Telepathy |
54 |
37 |
9 |
42 |
51 |
7 |
| Guardian Angels |
31 |
61 |
8 |
40 |
56 |
4 |
| Premonitions/ESP |
64 |
29 |
7 |
54 |
41 |
6 |
| Fortune telling/ Tarot |
18 |
75 |
7 |
13 |
83 |
4 |
| Deja-vu |
66 |
30 |
4 |
57 |
38 |
5 |
| Out of body experience |
31 |
58 |
11 |
32 |
61 |
7 |
| Reincarnation |
24 |
64 |
12 |
23 |
68 |
9 |
| Hell |
n/a |
n/a |
n/a |
32 |
62 |
6 |
| Near-death experience |
51 |
37 |
12 |
60 |
34 |
7 |
| Psychics/ Mediums |
28 |
63 |
9 |
28 |
66 |
6 |
| Faith healers |
32 |
56 |
12 |
24 |
68 |
8 |
| That dreams can predict the future |
30 |
60 |
10 |
25 |
69 |
6 |
Q2c And have you had any personal experience of …, or not.
| |
February 1998 |
August 2003 |
| |
Yes |
No |
Don't Know |
Yes |
No |
Don't Know |
|
| |
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
% of total population saying yes |
| Astrology |
17 |
82 |
1 |
30 |
69 |
* |
9 |
| Base 2003: All those who believe in Astrology at Q2B (306) |
| Ghosts |
37 |
59 |
4 |
49 |
48 |
2 |
19 |
| Base 2003: All those who believe in Ghosts at Q2B (390) |
| Telepathy |
35 |
64 |
1 |
41 |
59 |
1 |
17 |
| Base 2003: All those who believe in Telepathy at Q2B (427) |
| Guardian Angels |
31 |
66 |
3 |
43 |
52 |
4 |
17 |
| Base 2003: All those who believe in Guardian Angels at Q2B (393) |
| Premonitions/ESP |
41 |
57 |
2 |
48 |
50 |
2 |
26 |
| Base 2003: All those who believe in Premonitions/ESP at Q2B (545) |
| Fortune telling/ Tarot |
60 |
40 |
0 |
64 |
34 |
1 |
9 |
| Base 2003: All those who believe in Fortune telling/Tarot at Q2B (137) |
| Deja-vu |
79 |
20 |
* |
83 |
16 |
1 |
47 |
| Base 2003: All those who believe in Deja-vu at Q2B (582) |
| Out of body experience |
21 |
79 |
* |
26 |
72 |
2 |
8 |
| Base 2003: All those who believe in Out of body experience at Q2B (330) |
| Reincarnation |
8 |
90 |
2 |
10 |
88 |
2 |
2 |
| Base 2003: All those who believe in Reincarnation at Q2B (229) |
| Near-death experience |
17 |
82 |
1 |
20 |
80 |
0 |
12 |
| Base 2003: All those who believe in Near-death experience at Q2B (599) |
| Psychics/ Mediums |
37 |
63 |
1 |
46 |
53 |
1 |
13 |
| Base 2003: All those who believe in Psychics/Mediums at Q2B (289) |
| Faith healers |
24 |
56 |
0 |
33 |
66 |
* |
8 |
| Base 2003: All those who believe in Faith healers at Q2B (244) |
| That dreams can predict the future |
42 |
60 |
3 |
58 |
41 |
* |
14 |
| Base 2003: All those who believe in That dreams can predict the future at Q2B (248) |
Who Or What Inspires You?
Q3a I am going to read out a list. From the list, please can you tell me which two or three, if any, of these you find most inspirational?
| |
% |
| Close friends |
46 |
| A walk in the country |
41 |
| Music or poetry |
27 |
| Jesus |
24 |
| Nelson Mandela |
20 |
| Princess Diana |
13 |
| A sacred text |
6 |
| Ellen McArthur |
4 |
| The Dalai Lama |
3 |
| Other |
4 |
| None/Nothing |
3 |
| Don't know |
1 |
Q3b Please can you tell me whether you can name any of the following, or not?
| |
Yes |
No |
| |
% |
% |
| Any of the 4 New Testament Gospels? |
55 |
45 |
| The sacred book used by Muslims? |
60 |
40 |
| The name of the Archbishop of Canterbury |
18 |
82 |
| The name of the Pope |
62 |
38 |
| The name of the last Conservative Prime Minister |
65 |
35 |
| The winner of the most recent Big Brother series |
28 |
72 |